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Madison Suburban Conference

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The Madison Suburban Conference is a former high school athletic conference in Wisconsin, founded in 1926 and ending competition in 1969. Its members were located in south central Wisconsin, predominantly around the Madison area.

History

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Founding and Early Years (1926-1952)

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The Madison Suburban Conference formed in 1926 by ten schools in and around Dane County that were smaller in enrollment than those in the city of Madison: Cambridge, Deerfield, DeForest, Lodi, Marshall, Middleton, Oregon, Sun Prairie, Verona and Waterloo[1][2]. It was subdivided into Eastern and Western sections after the first season of competition[3]:

Eastern Section Western Section
Cambridge DeForest
Deerfield Lodi
Marshall Middleton
Sun Prairie Oregon
Waterloo Verona

Divisions were eliminated for the 1931-32 season[4], and Lodi left the conference for the Tri-County League at that season’s conclusion[5]. Johnson Creek joined the conference in 1935 after moving over from the Little Five Conference[6].

Post-War Expansion (1952-1963)

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Growth in the Madison area during the post-war years accompanied some substantial shifts with the athletic conferences in south central Wisconsin. Middleton exited the Madison Suburban Conference in 1952 to join the new Badger Conference[7], and Juneau joined the following year after the break-up of the 4-C Conference[8]. Verona left in 1954 to join the Tri-County League[9], and in 1955 the conference would add three schools that left the Badger Conference: Evansville, Lake Mills and Milton[10].

Final Expansion and Collapse (1963-1969)

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In 1963, the high school athletic conferences in the Madison area went through some significant realignment[11]. Sun Prairie left the conference to join the Badger Conference that year[12], and their place was immediately taken by the new high school in McFarland[13]. The conference also absorbed the former Tri-County League, which had been reduced from ten to six schools[14] due to a series of consolidations and the defection of Sauk Prairie High School to the South Central Conference[15]. Former members Lodi and Verona rejoined the conference, and they were accompanied by Poynette, River Valley in Spring Green, Waunakee and Wisconsin Heights in Mazomanie[16]. In order to accomodate the new schools, the Madison Suburban Conference was subdivided into three sections of six schools each[17]:

Central Section Eastern Section Western Section
DeForest Cambridge Lodi
Evansville Deerfield Poynette
Lake Mills Johnson Creek River Valley
Milton Juneau Verona
Oregon Marshall Waunakee
Waterloo McFarland Wisconsin Heights

River Valley would leave after only one season in the conference to join the Southwest Wisconsin Activities League, and their place was taken by Lakeside Lutheran High School in Lake Mills. They joined the Eastern Section with McFarland moving over to the Western Section[18]:

Central Section Eastern Section Western Section
DeForest Cambridge Lodi
Evansville Deerfield McFarland
Lake Mills Johnson Creek Poynette
Milton Juneau Verona
Oregon Lakeside Lutheran Waunakee
Waterloo Marshall Wisconsin Heights

In the long term, this level of growth proved to be unsustainable and in 1969, the Madison Suburban Conference split up into three separate conferences[19], predominantly along the final sectional alignment. All six schools in the Western Section (along with DeForest and Waterloo from the Central Section) formed the Capitol Conference[20], the six schools in the Eastern Section (along with Palmyra and Queen of Apostles in Madison) formed the Eastern Suburban Conference, and the four remaining schools in the Central Section (along with Beloit Turner and Clinton) formed the Central Suburban Conference[21].

Conference Membership History

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School Location Affiliation Enrollment Mascot Colors Joined Left Conference Joined Current Conference
Cambridge Cambridge, WI Public 266 Bluejays     1926 1969 Eastern Suburban Capitol
Deerfield Deerfield, WI Public 216 Demons     1926 1969 Eastern Suburban Trailways
DeForest DeForest, WI Public 1,093 Norskies     1926 1969 Capitol Badger
Lodi Lodi, WI Public 451 Blue Devils     1926, 1963 1932, 1969 Tri-County,

Capitol

Capitol
Marshall Marshall, WI Public 292 Cardinals     1926 1969 Eastern Suburban Capitol
Middleton Middleton, WI Public 2,357 Cardinals     1926 1952 Badger Big Eight
Oregon Oregon, WI Public 1,248 Panthers[a]     1926 1969 Central Suburban Badger
Sun Prairie[b] Sun Prairie, WI Public 1,239 Cardinals     1926 1963 Badger Big Eight
Verona Verona, WI Public 1,801 Wildcats[c]     1926,

1963

1954,

1969

Tri-County,

Capitol

Big Eight
Waterloo Waterloo, WI Public 259 Pirates     1926 1969 Capitol Capitol
Johnson Creek Johnson Creek, WI Public 180 Bluejays     1935 1969 Eastern Suburban Trailways
Juneau Juneau, WI Public 278[d] Chiefs     1953 1969 Eastern Suburban[e] Trailways
Evansville Evansville, WI Public 507 Blue Devils     1955 1969 Central Suburban Rock Valley
Lake Mills Lake Mills, WI Public 491 L-Cats     1955 1969 Central Suburban Capitol
Milton Milton, WI Public 1,059 RedHawks[f]     1955 1969 Central Suburban Badger
McFarland McFarland, WI Public 774 Spartans     1963 1969 Capitol Badger
Poynette Poynette, WI Public 310 Pumas[g]     1963 1969 Capitol Capitol
River Valley Spring Green, WI Public 389 Blackhawks     1963 1964 SWAL Southwest Wisconsin
Waunakee Waunakee, WI Public 1,309 Warriors     1963 1969 Capitol Badger
Wisconsin Heights Mazomanie, WI Public 228 Vanguards     1963 1969 Capitol Capitol
Lakeside Lutheran Lake Mills, WI Private

(WELS)

506 Warriors     1964 1969 Eastern Suburban Capitol

Notes

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  1. ^ Nickname was Orioles prior to 1963
  2. ^ Known as Sun Prairie High School prior to 2022
  3. ^ Nickname was Indians prior to 1992
  4. ^ Enrollment figure shown is for Dodgeland High School
  5. ^ Athletics program merged with Lowell-Reeseville in 1969, schools merged in 1970 to form Dodgeland High School
  6. ^ Nickname was Redmen prior to 1999
  7. ^ Nickname was Indians prior to 2009Dodgeland High School

List of State Champions

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Fall Sports

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None

Winter Sports

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Curling
School Year Division
Poynette 1966 Single Division

Spring Sports

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None

References

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  1. ^ "Middleton Out in Lead in Cage Fight". Wisconsin State Journal. 3 March 1927. p. 15. Retrieved 8 November 2024.
  2. ^ "Middleton "5" Tops Suburban Cage League". The Capital Times. 3 March 1927. p. 13. Retrieved 8 November 2024.
  3. ^ "Middleton and Marshall Lead Suburban Loop". The Capital Times. 1 March 1928. p. 17. Retrieved 8 November 2024.
  4. ^ "Sun Prairie Annexes Suburban Crown". Wisconsin State Journal. 16 March 1932. p. 17. Retrieved 8 November 2024.
  5. ^ "Tri-County Basketball Season Opens Tonight". Wisconsin State Journal. 23 November 1932. p. 14. Retrieved 8 November 2024.
  6. ^ "Johnson Creek Joins Suburban Conference". Wisconsin State Journal. 25 September 1935. p. 15. Retrieved 8 November 2024.
  7. ^ "New High School Athletic Wheel Formed Saturday". Appleton Post-Crescent. 24 March 1952. p. 24. Retrieved 8 November 2024.
  8. ^ "Inexperienced Chief Squad Opens Here". Dodge County Independent-News. 18 September 1953. p. 1. Retrieved 8 November 2024.
  9. ^ Dommershausen, Joe (28 September 1954). "Busy Week Slated for Preo Gridders". Wisconsin State Journal. p. 25. Retrieved 8 November 2024.
  10. ^ "Three Schools Quit Badger Conference, Plan to Join Suburban Loop in '55-56 Term". Wisconsin State Journal. 25 May 1954. p. 21. Retrieved 8 November 2024.
  11. ^ "Big Shifts in 3 Prep Loops Seen". The Capital Times. 20 February 1962. p. 16. Retrieved 8 November 2024.
  12. ^ "Sun Prairie Is Invited to Join Badger Circuit". Janesville Weekly Gazette. 11 May 1962. p. 14. Retrieved 8 November 2024.
  13. ^ Cornelius, Lew (16 June 1962). "Lew Cornelius' Scorebook". The Capital Times. p. 14. Retrieved 8 November 2024.
  14. ^ "Waunakee, Lodi Preps Vie for Lead". Wisconsin State Journal. 25 September 1963. p. 18. Retrieved 8 November 2024.
  15. ^ "Start Action in New Loop". Portage Daily Register. 9 September 1963. p. 6. Retrieved 8 November 2024.
  16. ^ "Late Bulletins: Open Season". Tri-County Citizen (Beaver Dam, WI). 11 September 1963. p. 12. Retrieved 8 November 2024.
  17. ^ "Prep Cage Standings". Wisconsin State Journal. 22 December 1963. p. 24. Retrieved 8 November 2024.
  18. ^ "Standings". The Capital Times. 31 October 1964. p. 16. Retrieved 8 November 2024.
  19. ^ Hillstrom, Eric (3 July 1969). "City, Area Prep Hi-Notes". The Capital Times. p. 19. Retrieved 8 November 2024.
  20. ^ "Undefeated Will Battle In Capitol". The Capital Times. 9 December 1969. p. 26. Retrieved 8 November 2024.
  21. ^ Hillstrom, Eric (16 January 1969). "City, Area Prep Hi-Notes". The Capital Times. p. 27. Retrieved 8 November 2024.
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